Xabi Alonso announces decision to stay at Bayer Leverkusen as Liverpool consider other options

Xabi Alonso will stay at Bayer Leverkusen rather than become Liverpool’s new manager.

Reds legend Alonso was seen as the early favourite to replace the outgoing Jurgen Klopp but they are now exploring other options.

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The Spaniard has also been heavily linked with a switch to his fellow former club Bayern Munich, who see Thomas Tuchel leave at the end of the season.

However, after initial reports on Thursday night, Alonso has now confirmed his decision to remain at Leverkusen amid an incredible second year in charge at the club.

Speaking on Friday, Alonso said: “We have been here many times. It has been a season with much speculation regarding my future and until now we have had so many games.

“We have been pretty busy, pretty focused, and I wanted to use that time of the international break to reflect a little bit better and to make a decision.

“Last week I had a very good meeting when I informed them of my decision to continue being coach of Bayer Leverkusen.”

He added: “For sure all the decisions needed to be analysed well and I tried to take the right ones. I tried to take them that I feel they come in a natural way and at this moment I felt that this is the best place for me to be, for me to develop as a coach.

“I am a young coach but I have to feel it and right now I feel that this is the right place and I have to thank the management, the club that has been really supportive.”

The German side are firmly on track to win the Bundesliga title, meaning they are set to enjoy the prospect of competing in next season’s Champions League.

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Liverpool will therefore eye other contenders with Ruben Amorim and Roberto De Zerbi rumoured names, and Julian Nagelsmann is currently out of work at club level.

Amorim currently sits top of the Portuguese top-flight with Sporting Lisbon and has also been linked with Chelsea.

De Zerbi has hugely impressed during his time at Brighton, leading them to their first ever campaign in Europe.

Nagelsmann is the current head coach of the German national team and was previously at Bayern, where he won the Bundesliga in 2022.

Whoever Liverpool’s next appointment is has huge shoes to fill when Klopp leaves Anfield.

The German will call an end to almost a decade in charge of the Reds, where he has won every major honour.

Klopp has helped Liverpool compete with Manchester City for the Premier League title across the past few seasons.

He could end his Liverpool journey on a high with another title in May to add to their Carabao Cup success and potential Europa League triumph.

Alonso though does not look to be the man to replace him from next season, with Liverpool’s search set to be prolonged.

As will Bayern’s, with honorary president Uli Hoeness admitting that it would be ‘very difficult’ to hire him at the Allianz Arena.